


The Day After

by SilvertonguedClotpole



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Bobby Nash Being a Dad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Post 3x14, Protective Firefam, mentioned maddie and chim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:40:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23687077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilvertonguedClotpole/pseuds/SilvertonguedClotpole
Summary: Following the hostage situation at Maddie's call centre, Bobby really didn't expect to see their youngest member at work and fighting his corner to continue working the shift. But knowing how exhausted and spent Buck must be, Bobby is a little reluctant to allow him to work. A few upsetting realisations and a small deal later, everyone is happy-ish.  Light Buck angst, typical protective Bobby and worried FireFam.
Comments: 18
Kudos: 194
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	The Day After

**Author's Note:**

> *shyly waves* My first dip into the 9-1-1 fic pool, I've been reading it for around 6 months now and watching both versions of the show since around October last year and whoops, it's kind of a large portion of my tumblr blog now. I've had headcanons, wishes, and fic ideas for a while but everytime I try to get them out I draw a blank. This is by no means my best work and I'm a little annoyed my first fic in the fandom isn't one I'm more pleased with, but it's a small scene that came to me last night and whilst it was fresh, I tried to do what I could with it. Hopefully I can spur myself on to make more in the future and play with the multiple plots I've come up with.  
> It's set straight after 'The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1' and just deals simply with Buck being his usual stubborn self of not wanting to be sat at home and feeling useless. No beta, any mistakes my own and no copyright intended, blah.

The firehouse was quiet as Bobby pulled up, just a few of the last shift leaving and one or two early birds of his own shift getting an extra half hour of gym time in. He saw Hen getting out of her own car, waving to him as she pulled her bag out of the boot, closely followed by Eddie pulling up and doing the same. He joined them as they walked through the station and made their way to the loft.

“Alright, we’ll have two men down today, I’ve sent word out for at least one fill in but it was last minute and may be pushing our luck.”

Eddie and Hen exchanged glances. It was Eddie who asked, “Two down? Cap, who’s out?”

They walked toward the lounge area as Bobby replied, “Chim and...” He stopped when he saw an all too familiar figure listed to the side slightly on the couch, clearly asleep. Damn this kid. “...Buck.”

He put his own bag down and perched on the coffee table in front of Buck, his eyes seeking the younger man’s face. Even asleep Bobby could tell the kid looked rough, he was paler than usual, had darker rings around his eyes and hadn’t bothered to shave or style his hair, with the curls just sitting in a style halfway between adorable and homeless.

“Buck? Hey kid, you with me?” Gently, and with some regret, he shook the knee of Buck’s crush leg.

Immediately he stirred, coming to with a blanket of grogginess and confusion before noticing his captain in front of him. A second later and any trace of fatigue had gone and in its place was Buck’s usual smile and brightness. “Bobby! Hey, mornin', how you doing?”

It took a bit of an effort not to smile back but he kept a neutral face as he inspected the kid. “Buck, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, well, ha, bit of a funny story.” The man in question turned sheepish, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck as he looked down. “I thought I was on shift at 8 today, got here and realised I was early so had a bit of a nap. I did plan on getting some food for everyone coming in at 10 but I guess I slept a bit longer than I planned. That’s not an issue, is it Cap?”

It hurt to hear the anxiety of an impending berating from his captain, as if he was really going to get in trouble for this slight issue. Bobby sighed. “It’s not that that I’m concerned about and you know it! You shouldn’t be here at all!”

“I. No. I-I-I, Bobby...”

“Chim rang me last night to say he wouldn’t be in and I’ve spent all morning expecting the same call from you. When I didn’t I just assumed you were asleep or with Maddie.”

Hen and Eddie rustled behind them, the words heightening their own nerves. “Everything ok Cap? Buck?”

“Yeah Hen, everyone is ok. You hear about the call centre hold up yesterday?”

“Aw man, that was Maddie’s place? I heard it was further down town?”

“Buck, man I’m sorry. If I’d have realised I’d have called. You ok?” Eddie sat on the couch beside Buck and Hen took another corner of the coffee table.

“Yeah, like Bobby said, everyone’s fine. A couple of bruises and stitches but everyone made it out ok.”

Bobby watched as Buck explained the situation, his leg bounced lightly and he wrung his hands, his voice was a little quiet and rough too and he spoke slower than usual. He was exhausted.

“Buck, the only issue I have is the fact you’ve hardly slept since your last shift, which, I’d like to point out, started as a 12 hour one but ended with at least 3 hours overtime. So in the last 36 hours, you’ve had...how many hours of sleep!?”

Buck sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “Like...4 hours. Even after I left Chim’s place last night I got home and couldn’t settle.”

“Right, so, a couple hours last night and the two you had here this morning?”

Eddie fell back into the sofa with an exasperated sigh. “Geez Buck!”

“I’m fine! I swear, I’m fine.”

Bobby felt for the kid, he really did. He _always_ did. “Buck, you _have_ to go home.”

Immediately Buck sat forward, getting into Bobby’s space with those huge begging eyes of his. “No, no please Bobby let me stay. I’m alright, I’ve worked on less sleep before...”

Instantly he knew he’d said something he shouldn’t have and his eyes bulged. “Alright, 1, we are absolutely coming back to _that_ at a later date! But 2, Buck, you know I can’t have you on shift in such a state. It’s not safe. Not for you, not for these guys and most definitely not for the people we try to save. One tiny slip up because you’re exhausted and it’s potentially game over. I _know_ how capable you are and I am most definitely not underestimating you in the slightest, but I can’t take that risk, as Captain and as your friend.”

Buck’s lip wobbled and tears finally fell as he ducked his head. When he spoke again he was once again quiet and resigned. “I can’t be stuck at home. I can be useful...the ONE thing that got to me most about yesterday was how useless I was to my sister. How i couldn’t save her, just like when Doug had her. I was nothing. I _need_ to feel helpful Bobby, if I go back home I’ll just wallow and feel even more like a screw up. Maddie and Chim have each other but what would I have? My TV? My weights? I’ll be with my thoughts and I can’t have that right now. Bobby please let me work.”

There was oh so much about that sentence that Bobby wanted to focus on, the implications of Buck maybe not being as ok as they all thought. _Useless...Nothing...With my thoughts... I’ll feel even more like a screw up._ Bobby needed to know what that meant for their friend, just what had burrowed in his mind and grown rotten for him to ever think those things. He thought of Buck like a son, and everyone knew it, even his wife had taken him into her heart just the same, so it made it even harder to divide his Captain’s head from his Father’s heart- he had no idea how his old buddy in New York Owen did it!

“Buck...” He didn’t get far, the voice alone told Buck he was about to hear something he didn’t want to, and the young man interrupted before he could carry on.

“How long is shift today?”

“We’ve got an 8 hour today.”

“Alright, we make a deal.”

Bobby began his own argument, a weary disagreement he knew wouldn’t go down well. “Buck...”

“No. Hear me out! Ok. I’ll do 4 hours and I won’t leave the station. No calls. I’ll stay and I’ll clean and wash up and even cook if I need to. I’ll do any chores that need doing. Then I’m working but I won’t be a liability. I say 4, but if I feel up to it I’ll stay the whole 8. Deal?”

Another sigh, god this kid had spunk. “You can’t just make deals over shifts with your Captain, Buck.”

Buck didn’t say anything, he just stared at Bobby pleadingly and he swore the kid actually punctuated the kicked puppy look even more for maximum effect. Hen noticed it too because she sniggered from behind him. _Don’t encourage him Hen._

“Fine. But 4 hours. You aren’t staying the full day. And if you need to sleep, you do so, I don’t care if you feel bad to the rest of us, you get your head down in the bunks. Is that understood?”

The young firefighter sprang back and clapped his hands. “Yes, yes Bobby absolutely. Thank you.”

Eddie coughed beside them. “May I?” Once Bobby nodded- slightly confused and a little cautious at what would come of this- Eddie continued. “Can we order pizza? I know Buck specialises in breakfast foods and I’m just not feeling bear shaped pancakes for our mid afternoon lunch.”

Eddie jumped up and ran with a smirk on his face as Buck threw a cushion at him. “Least I can cook _Diaz_! And Christopher loves my bear pancakes!”

Hen got up too, shaking her head. “Boys will be boys, even if they _are_ meant to be professional, mature, firefighters.” Regardless of her mock dismay, she ruffled Buck’s hair and walked toward the lockers with her bag, turning just as she disappeared inside. “By the way Buckaroo, I love this no gel look you got going on, I am a sucker for curls.”

Buck smiled bashfully but quickly fixed a serious gaze on Bobby once it was just the two of them. “Thank you Bobby. Really.”

“Just promise me that the next 2 days before your next shift you get rested up. Alright!?”

Buck mock saluted him. “Yes sir.”

“Don’t push it Buckley! Now go on, get preparing that pancake batter, I want to see these famous bears for myself.” The two of them chuckled and stood up but as the younger walked toward the kitchen Bobby reached out for him and held his arm gently. “And Buck. If you _ever_ need to talk, I’m here.”

When the shame and excuses were hot on Buck’s lips, Bobby leveled his gaze with a renewed sternness. “Remember. That one little word and I’ll come to you. You are _not_ useless and you are _not_ alone. And if I find out you haven’t reached out, I’ll send Athena to your door. You got that?”

“Yeah Bobby. I promise. Thank you.”

Bobby lifted a hand to Buck’s head with an affectionate squeeze. “Alright, go on, get. I want those toilets shiny as new by 2 O'clock.”

Buck grumbled as realisation hit he would have to do the worst task in the job but he skipped off anyway with a smile that Bobby hadn’t expected to see just a few moments before. Hen and Eddie had joined them again and shared his bemusement.

“God I love that kid.”

“He’ll be alright Cap. He’s not alone anymore.”

“Yeah, but we need to make sure he knows that.”

Eddie suddenly growled as he saw Buck piling the worktop with flour and eggs, his head to the sky as he walked toward his best friend in defeat. “I thought we said NO bear pancakes!”

Buck flipped him off with one hand as he cracked an egg with the other, a shit eating grin on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's rather speech heavy and I don't often go down that road but it is what it is. I hope it wasn't too terrible and some of you enjoyed it. Also, if you feel I could change the tags or summary at all, let me know, I'm usually used to just adding 'whump' and 'angst' in the tags. I love that there are multiple tags for 'Bobby Being a Dad' :)  
> Thanks for reading.


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